22 Jun. 24: Recent allegations of irregularities at the Hardayal Public School in Jhajjar, Haryana, during the NEET-UG exam have caused a nationwide stir. The school, linked to a BJP leader, is at the center of a scandal involving extraordinary results and potential exam malpractice, reports The Wire.
Involvement of BJP-Linked School
Hardayal Public School, established in 1995 and presided over by Anuradha Yadav, has connections to influential BJP figures. Anuradha Yadav’s nephew, Shekhar Yadav, the district president of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha in Jhajjar, has campaigned for BJP candidates and is reportedly eyeing a ticket for the upcoming Haryana assembly elections. Shekhar Yadav told The Wire, “The school belongs to our family. But it has no role in what you are talking about.”
Unprecedented Results Raise Suspicions
During the 2024 NEET exam, six candidates from Hardayal Public School scored a perfect 720 out of 720, and two others scored 718 and 719 respectively. This raised eyebrows, as it is an anomaly compared to usual results nationwide. The National Testing Agency (NTA) later disclosed that grace marks were awarded due to loss of time caused by a mix-up in question paper distribution. A biology teacher at a local coaching center told The Wire, “When NTA came to know that all the students suffered a time loss at an entire centre, why did it not treat all the children equally?”
Confusion Over Question Papers
At the Jhajjar centers, including Hardayal Public School and Vijaya Senior Secondary School, two sets of question papers were mistakenly distributed. Students initially received the set from the State Bank of India branch but were later given the set from the Canara Bank branch, leading to significant time loss. Despite this, only students from Hardayal Public School received grace marks, leading to claims of unequal treatment. A student from SR Century Public School told The Wire, “How could I have topped when my centre was not Hardayal (School)?”
Lack of Police Awareness
Local authorities appeared unaware of the controversy. Assistant Police Inspector Mahavir Singh of Bahadurgarh city police station and his colleagues were uninformed about the issues at Hardayal Public School. Despite the gravity of the situation, no official report had been filed, and the Jhajjar Deputy Commissioner, Shakti Singh, declined to comment when contacted by The Wire.
Government’s Stance and Future Actions
The Union government recently assured the Supreme Court that all grace marks would be canceled. A re-examination will be conducted for the 1,563 students who were affected and wish to retake the test, with results expected by June 30.
Conclusion
The NEET-UG exam irregularities at Hardayal Public School have highlighted significant flaws in the examination process and raised questions about the involvement of influential figures. As investigations continue, the focus remains on ensuring fairness and integrity in national examinations.
